Due to aggression of monoculture based chemical agriculture the rich biodiversity of the country is endangered. Bangladesh was a rich source of valuable medicinal plants, more than 12,500 varieties of indigenous rice varieties and huge number of varieties of different crops and other flora and fauna. But, very unfortunately every year a good number of flora & fauna are being disappeared from the ecosystem. Within its limited capacity UD has been trying to conserve the endangered biodiversity through especially on farm and ex-situ conservation. UD has conserved about 300 species & varieties of medicinal plants and about 250 indigenous varieties of rice and other crops in its biodiversity conservation centre and in the farmers’ field and homestead.

Women are the key working force in agriculture of Bangladesh. In fact, the women pay even more labour in agriculture production, post harvest handling, crop & seed preservation etc. But, their role in agriculture is neither recognized by the family or society nor by the state. They don’t have access to productive resources, agricultural services, market, credit etc. As a result, the women remain subordinate to men and become worse victim of discrimination and violence. Therefore, UD always prioritize women in its entire program and foster their social and economic empowerment. UD along with other development partners and likeminded NGOs and Farmer organizations has been doing advocacy and campaign for state recognition of women as farmers.

Women & Agriculture 1

Rural women work in field together with men.

Women & Agriculture 2

Women have active participation in cultivation.

Women & Agriculture 3

Study and Research

UD has been conducting different thematic studies on the issues of food security & sustainable agriculture and action researches on organic farming technologies and indigenous varieties of different crops. The main purpose of the studies is understanding the issues while the main purpose of the action researches are learning organic farming techniques by doing in the field. UD has a good number of publications on the findings of the studies on food security and sustainable agriculture. In fact, the whole sustainable agriculture program of the organization is one kind of action research in broad sense through which alternative to corporate agriculture is being searched out.

Our Network with Research and Educational Institutues.

UD has been promoting different organic farming technologies to the farmers through training, demonstration, action research and regular technical support to the farmers. The technologies include compost, vermin-compost, quick compost, tricho-compost, green manuring and other technologies for soil health development and different kind of organic & botanical pesticides and integrated pest management techniques for stopping the use of poisonous chemical pesticides in order to save soil & human health, protect environmental degradation and conservation of biodiversity and eco-system.